Biosecurity in the Beef Cattle Operation

1. Biosecurity in the Beef Cattle Operation D.L. Step, DVM, DACVIM Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medical Hospital Stillwater, OK

2. Goals • Develop a better understanding of biosecurity • Levels of biosecurity • Herd additions • Human interactions • Potential Disease Threats

3. Definitions: Biosecurity • Development and implementation of management procedures to reduce or prevent unwanted threats from entering the herd or population • Threats potentially harmful to health and well being of herd • “90% of what we’ve started doing we should have been doing anyway” – John Wagner, Colorado Beef, Lamar, Colo.

4. Value of Biosecurity to Farmer/Rancher • Cash Flow and equity • Unwanted agents can reduce reproductive efficiency • Decrease production as impact weaning weights, daily gain, feed efficiency, days off feed due to illness • PI animals • Loss of marketing options • Liability of selling infected animals • Increase death rates • Reduce marketing options “Slaughter Only” - not music to the ears of a seed stock operator • Improve animal well being

5. Threats • Genetic problems • Toxins • Parasitic Disease • Violative Residues • Viral, Bacterial, Protozoan, Rickettsial

6. Risks of Specific Threats • Determine production goals for operation • Identify risks • Determine level of acceptable risk • What is likelihood of this risk occurring in this herd or population? • What is economic impact of that potential problem? • Review risks on a regular basis

7. Farmer / Rancher must determine: Level of Biosecurity -or- Level of Risk Tolerance Level of Biosecurity

8. Biosecurity Management Plan • Minimize the factors that increase risk • Maximize the factors that reduce risk

9. Determine Producer’s Goals • Type of operation (examples) • seedstock producer • commercial cow/calf producer • stocker operator • feedlot operator • order buyer • Determine production goals

10. Herd Status • Review production records • Review diagnostic tests • Review both clinical and subclinical disease • Identify goals for herd

11. Identify Facilities • Isolation areas, separate hospital areas • Storage (feedstuffs) • Pastures (quantity, quality) • Dead animal disposal • Processing facilities

12. Identify Management and Labor • Resource availability -Management • adequate labor • family support • hired or contracted • records • marketing

13. Quantify Financial Support • Resource availability (finances) • debt load • expansion ? • retirement

14. Biosecurity---many levels 1. Global 2.National 3.State 4.Your place

15. Biosecurity – Global level • Office of International Epizootics, OIE • Paris France • established 1924 as a result of Rinderpest outbreak in Belgium • mission – to insure transparency in the global disease situation • need to know – international trade www.oie.int

16. Biosecurity - National Level Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Four components 1. Customs and Border Patrol 2. Department of Agriculture • Ag Research Service • Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

17. Biosecurity - National LevelDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) – Four components 3. Department of Health & Human Services 4. National Biodefense Analysis Countermeasures Center • analysis of emerging bio threats to people and agriculture • FBI – forensic analysis of bioterrorism events • joint effort of the above with Plum Island Research

18. Biosecurity Close to Home

19. Level of Biosecurity – Most Common “The common disease prevention & control practices employed by the majority of beef herds today are inadequate to meet future demands. They rely on visual observation, regulatory compliance, vaccination, and limited attention to biosecurity of the herds making animal additions.” J.U. Thompson

20. SIX Levels of Biosecurity 1-closed herd [specific pathogen-free (SPF) herd] 2-no entry or reentry of animals 3-no entry of new animals but reentry allowed

21. 6 Levels of Biosecurity(cont’d) 4-entry of new animals (known medical records) and isolation 5-entry of new animals (known medical records) and no isolation 6-entry of new animals (no medical records) and no isolation

22. Producer Determine Level of Acceptable Risk • Stocker operator • Wean at auction market • Commercial operation that retains ownership through the harvest phase • Seed-stock producer or international marketing

23. HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (When do you have control of the hazard?) • Hazard Analysis • identifies the health risks associated with the age and class of specified livestock • neonate, weaned, replacement heifers, cows, bulls • Critical Control Points • identifies the important POINTS of intervention for reducing risk of disease for the age and class of specified livestock

24. Herd-Level Critical Control Points purchased animals herd replacements semen, embryos purchased products colostrum, feed, etc. visitors Livestock Herd neighbor’s herd wildlife other animals BEVO – Bird’s Eye View of your Operation

25. Point of Diminishing Return Relationship of Treatment/Prevention Level and Losses Losses Control costs Control Costs Losses $  A B C Treatment/Prevention Level A= Increase control to reduce losses B= Keep incidence at optimal level C= Control costs outweigh losses

26. Sources of ThreatsConsider ALL aspects of operation • Environment • Feed Water • Equipment • People • Animal inputs • Raised replacements • Purchased replacements • Semen, embryos • Wildlife

27. Environmental Assessment • MBWA • Pastures, pens, lots, fences • Working facilities • Isolation areas? • Possible public access • Roads • Shared fence lines • Potential exposure to wildlife Management By Walking Around

28. Feed and Water • Purchased vs Home Grown • Storage • Water Supply • Well • Pond • stream • Sources of Potential Contamination

29. Equipment • Cattle trucks and trailers • Feed delivery and supply vehicles • Rendering trucks • Manure spreaders • Feed buckets • Cleaning brushes • Watering

30. Equipment (cont.) • Calf pullers and chains • Needles, syringes • Dehorners • Castration knives • Working chutes

31. People • Clothing • boots, coveralls, gloves • Visitors • school groups, foreign visitors, tours • Employees • Veterinarians • Sales representatives • Relatives • County educators • Processing crews • Haulers

32. Biosecurity Considerations • Traffic • Sanitation & waste management • Herd Additions

33. TrafficSpecific Suggestions • Controll access to premises • no non-resident vehicles allowed • supply disposable boots • questionnaire

36. Sanitation and Waste Management • Labor: limited personnel performing many duties • Control wildlife, rodents, and birds • Avoid cross contamination • water, feed: buckets, cleansing brushes • manure, bedding • feeding & mixing equipment • clothing, boots

37. Protecting Livestock from Terrorism Be Vigilantcheck livestock more frequently Local Veterinarian State Veterinarian watch your neighbors report suspicious activity Law Enforcement

38. Herd AdditionsSpecific Suggestions • Known herd status • raise own replacements • prior to arrival • use AI? • Isolation/quarantine • 60 days • Test and/or vaccinate • Parasite control

39. Herd Replacements • Pre Entry Testing • Isolation • Vaccination • Internal and External parasite control • Strategic placement within the herd

40. Non-Pregnant Beef Heifer: Pre-entry • Herd of origin information: • Must have good records! • health (history of disease, BVDV, Johne’s Disease, Bangs, TB, etc) • vaccination protocol • parasite control measures

41. Herd AdditionsHealth Inspection • “issuance of a health certificate cannot be considered absolute assurance that the animal(s) is disease free.” Dr. John U. Thomson, South Dakota State University

42. Non-Pregnant Beef Heifer - Isolation • Recommend: 60 day period • Strict traffic control • Identify by herd of origin along with your numbering system • Serum for further testing if necessary • Internal and External parasite assessment

43. Non-Pregnant Beef Heifer • Discuss with your veterinarian: • Vaccinate: pre breeding • Internal and external parasite control

44. Non-Pregnant Beef Heifer - Assimilation • Turn out with bulls • Virgin or Trichomonas negative bulls • Tested negative for same disease as heifers • Vaccinated for the same disease as heifers • Deemed satisfactory potential breeder by Standardized BSE

45. Definitions: Biocontainment • Plan or program for controlling infectious agents, diseases, or problems already present in a herd or population

46. If Outbreak Occurs • Written protocol • Meeting: everyone involved understands • Identify areas of pathogen build up: calving areas, hospital pens, common chute areas • remove cow & calf ASAP • rotate calving areas if possible

47. If Outbreak Occurs(cont’d) • Necropsy (unless anthrax is suspected) • identify problems • confirm the diagnosis • determine extent of disease • take appropriate samples • dispose of remains accordingly

48. A Biosecurity Program No One Size Fits All! • ~Insurance policy • health • productivity • Producer and veterinarian develop • adapted for goals & objectives of each herd • Educate all personnel in the operation

49. Questions??? Contact: Your Veterinarian OSU County Educator Oklahoma Department of Ag

50. Potential Disease Threats • Anthrax • Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD) • Foot and Mouth Disease ( FMD) • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)